Naps and Cookies
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Is there a better parenting duo than Mirajane and Laxus? Probably, but that's not important right now. - One-shot, set in Parenthood series.


Naps and Cookies

In his short two (nearly three) years of life, there were many things that the youngest of the Dreyar boys didn't like. From baths to potty training to certain foods that, no matter how many times his mother insisted they were good for him, just didn't taste good, he had his fill. That being said, there were also a high number of things that he did love.

Like his mother. Sure, as previously mentioned, she sometimes made him do things he didn't like (like wear that stuffy little tux to important events) and yeah, there were times that he just didn't want to be around her, but mostly, she was great. Mirajane. He loved her. She would snuggle with him and read to him and when she was off from work, practically spend the whole day with him.

"Is your lunch good, baby?"

Oh, and she made him great food. Tons of great food.

"After you eat, we'll go to the park."

And took him places. Really great places. He loved his mommy.

"You can't take them to the park today, Mirajane. I've already told you that I'm taking them with me out to train."

Oh! And his father. His daddy was amazing too. They did all sorts of things together. Like built forts and played hide-and-seek and he could shoot off these pretty cool lightning bolts with his hands. He loved his daddy. Very much.

"And I told you, Laxus, that I had them for the day. I took off specifically to spend time with them."

Yeah, Mommy and Daddy were great. Especially when they all went out together. Sometimes they would go out to eat or to see one of his aunts and uncles. He had a few of those. Or his mother's friends. She had a bunch. No matter what they did though, they had a great time.

"You took time off, demon, so that you could rest. You've worked every day, morning to close, for two and a half weeks. Taking the boys to the park is not resting."

His mother and father really loved one another. They were always kissing and hugging, which kinda ruined the attention the little boy tried to get brought onto himself, but it was okay. It was just that they liked each other so much.

"I never said that I was resting, dragon. Just that I was taking time off for myself. And I want to spend that time with my boys and my dog."

Oh! The dog. He loved his doggy. He was so great. There was nothing better than him, really. The dog was old, fine, but he was very playful (to an extent). He liked to run around with him and also lay around. They could go from playing to sleeping in nothing flat and vice versa too.

"You are not taking that dog to the park again.

"I am too."

"No."

"Laxus-"

"Every time you do, he gets lost or-"

"I'll bring the leash."

"Won't make a difference. No."

"You don't tell me no."

"I can tell you whatever the heck I wanna tell you."

Yeah. He really loved his family. They had to be the best family ever. Some of his favorite moments were when they'd all take naps together. It wasn't very often, of course, because his mother worked so much and his father took jobs and left town frequently, but when they were all together and snuggled up in his parents, bed, it had to be some of the best sleep he got. He'd curl up on his daddy's chest or against his mother's side. And, if they were lucky, the woman would sing them all to sleep and it would just be so great.

He loved his family.

"You don't want that."

Especially his big bubba.

"Nate," the little boy complained as the older child reached across the table to take the cookie off his plate. Mommy always put one on each of theirs, for when they finished their meal, but apparently, Nathan wasn't content in just having one that day. "Mine."

"You're not hungry." Nathan took no time in eating it either. "Pike."

Oh, bubba. He really loved the guy. Nathan was older than him by a few years, but that just made him all the more cool. They shared a room and most of their toys. Oh, and their parents and doggy, but those went without saying. He and Nate were pretty great together. They both liked toy cars and Mommy and the doggy and eating ice cream.

"Mine!"

And, apparently, cookies.

"You don't want it."

"Yes! Nathan!"

Usually his older brother was his biggest protector. If he got scared in the night, he could crawl in bed with him. Or if they were playing at the park and another kid was mean to him, Nate was the first one to come to his defense. He, honestly, was the only reason that Pike was giving the whole potty thing a try because his brother insisted that he should.

They were best buddies. Nate even told him sometimes that he outranked Laxus on his list of important people (Mommy was on top, but Pike didn't hold that against him). They loved each other. They were brothers.

"You don't want it."

"Mine!"

Except for at the moment.

"Nathan." Laxus, who had been glaring at Mirajane, turned to look at the kitchen table. "Did you take something from him?"

"No. He didn't want it."

"Yes!" Usually, Pike would cover for his brother, but he had wanted that cookie, dang it! "Mine! Daddy-"

"Did you eat it?" Laxus went to go pop his oldest in the back of the head. "Nathan-"

"Laxus, don't hit him." Mirajane came over as well. "Here, Pike. I'll get you another, okay?"

Nathan only rubbed at his head while glaring at his father. It was Mirajane that he spoke to though.

"He didn't want it."

"Did he tell you that?" she asked as she went to get Pike a new cookie. "Nathan?"

"No."

"Then how did you-"

"He was being bad," Laxus grumbled. "And he's going to be bad all day."

"Am not," the boy complained. "Mommy-"

"Laxus, don't pick on him."

"I'm not," he said. "But you don't need to be taking them to the park if they can't even stop from fighting here, at home."

Mirajane only went to press a kiss to Pike's head as she handed off a cookie to him. "Are you okay now, baby?"

"Yes." Of course.

"Not me," Nathan complained. "Laxus hit me!"

The man growled. "You little brat. Taking from your brother, hell, you're lucky that I just-"

"This," Mira said with a frown, "is why you can't take them out with you."

Laxus shook his head. "Fine, Mira. You waste your one day off on taking them to the park. I don't care."

"Laxus-"

"No. You've been working too much and too long and I just want you to rest. Look at you!"

That got her to give him a look. "Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, clearly I don't."

"You have bags under your eyes and you've been yawning nonstop since you got up," he accused. "Boys, tell her that you want to come with me so that she can rest."

"I don't wanna go anywhere with you, Laxus."

"Stop calling me by my first name, brat, before I-"

"Take nap with Mommy," Pike told them with his mouth full as he munched on his cookie. "No park, no train. Stay with Mommy."

"Awe." Mirajane gave him another kiss. "You're so cute."

Nathan just glared at Laxus before saying, "I don't wanna go with you."

"Too bad."

"Stay and nap," Pike argued. "Daddy. You nap 'n' me 'n' Mommy 'n' Nate 'n' doggy. Please."

Laxus and Nathan were having a much better time glaring at one another at the moment, actually.

Pike just looked up at his mother though. "Nap together?"

"Of course, sweetie." He got another kiss which, for Nate, just wasn't acceptable. Fight with Laxus or no fight with Laxus, his younger brother getting more attention from Mirajane than him just wasn't something that he allowed.

"Mommy," he complained, looking over at her. "I wanna nap with you too."

"I know, baby," she said before looking to her husband. "Lax?"

"What? No. I'm going to train. I-"

"Daddy." Pike, finished with his cookie, held his arms out to the man to be picked up. "Nap?"

"No, Pike. I have to-"

"Good." Nathan moved to jump out of his chair. "I don't want you there anyways."

Laxus blinked. Then he growled.

"Just for that, brat, I am staying."

"Yay," Mirajane giggled as Nathan stuck his tongue out at his father. "Family nap."

Grunting, Laxus turned to walk off. "C'mere, Pike. You got all dirty. Let me wash you up before we lay down, huh?"

When they finally all got in bed, Nate hogged Mirajane like usually, snuggling up to her and shoving Pike off on Laxus and the dog, who, somehow found his way on the bed as well. That was okay though because, sure, Pike loved his mommy, but he really loved his daddy.

Actually, he really loved all his family. They were great. And when Nate conked out rather quickly, Mirajane leaned over the boy to press a kiss to her youngest's head.

"Hey," Laxus grumbled. "This one's mine. You keep the other."

"Oh, Lax."

"That little brat. He's been getting' on my nerves recently."

"Recently?" she mumbled as she settled back into the bed.

"Not like Pike," Laxus bragged, knowing the two year old was still up to hear and benefit from him saying that. "My little good boy."

"You know that you wouldn't be saying that if Nate wasn't sleeping," Mira accused though her husband only grinned at Pike as the little boy snuggled against him.

"Brat shoulda stayed awake then."

Laxus was laying on his side, facing them, and Pike moved to kiss the man's cheek. When Laxus tried to hold him though, he backed up and rolled over to face his brother.

"Love bubba," he told his father as he snuggled up to the sleeping boy. "Daddy."

"Well, of course," Laxus grumbled. "I do too. He was just being a butt is all."

It didn't matter to Pike though. Not that he ate his cookie or that he tried to keep him away from Mommy or even that Nate was a little mean to Daddy at times. He was his big bubba and he loved him. A whole lot.

Mirajane only giggled, looking over at Laxus who rolled his eyes before stretching an arm out to lay it over both the boys.

"You little brats," he grumbled, snuggling up close to his boys, Mirajane moving closer as well with a grin. "You know I love you."

Of course Pike knew that. But it was always nice to hear.

"Let go." Uh-oh. Nate had woke up. "Pike-"

"Shush, Nate," Mirajane sighed. "Let him cuddle with you."

"No. Gross!"

Pike only snuggled harder as Laxus laughed. "Nate."

"No, Pike. Leave me alone!"

Never. Never ever.

Nate only gave into his fate when Mira moved to lay a hand over the brothers as well, lower than Laxus', but just as tight around them.

Well, maybe being held wasn't so bad.

"The point," their father grumbled, "is for Mommy to sleep. Remember?"

"Oh, hush, Lax." She kissed Nate's head. "And just be happy for a moment."

Getting to lay around with his boys and demon doing nothing? He could be a lot more than happy.

"Love you, bubba," Pike told Nate as he shut his eyes to fall asleep finally. Nathan glared, but when he got a look from Mira, conceded.

"Love you too," he mumbled which was enough for Pike to fall asleep happy.

Yeah, his family was pretty great.

* * *

 **I still haven't named that kid that Ever and Elf had earlier in the series** **so that'll probably next for this.**


End file.
